1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to car seat illumination systems and methods for carrying out the same and, more specifically, to car seat illumination systems illuminating areas in front of the child to enable the child to perform acts such as reading or manipulation of toys.
2. Background of the Invention
It is customary to provide a special seat in a vehicle that is adapted for younger occupants, commonly referred to as a child car seat. Various embodiments of car seats exist, some of which are adapted to be mounted to a vehicle base and/or a stroller frame. Car seats generally include straps or other retainers to maintain the general position of the occupant with respect to the car seat.
Often in low lighting situations, a care giver may be required to turn on an interior dome light of a vehicle to discern the condition of the younger occupant of the car seat. However, by turning on an interior light in the vehicle, the care giver may disturb or distract other persons in the vehicle such as the driver.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,126,233 to Gaetano et al. discloses an integral car seat illumination system that is remotely activated by the driver of the automobile. The '233 patent teaches a system and method of casting light on the child on order to monitor the child. More specifically, the '233 patent teaches utilizing multiple lights to illuminate the upper torso of a child, however, the '233 patent does not teach illuminating the lap area of a child by focusing a downwardly directed light. More importantly, the '233 patent teaches away from a system illuminating the lap of a child by focusing on monitoring the child (light in the child's face) as opposed to providing light for the child's activities (light in the child's lap). Thus, the system disclosed in the '233 patent may be undesirable for car seat occupants by having the light directed toward the head.
Therefore, there is a need for an illumination device and associated method that illuminates the lap area of a child car seat, without shining light into the face of the child.